Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

REYNOLDS, Malvina

(b 23 Aug. 1900, San Francisco; d 17 March '78, Berkeley CA) Singer and songwriter who wrote topical and children's songs. She married labour organizer Bud Reynolds '34 and wrote 'Bury Me In My Overalls' to cheer him up as he recovered from a heart attack '56. She co-wrote songs with Pete Seeger (setting her words to his tunes); he recorded her 'Little Boxes': the Limeliters, Kingston Trio etc refused to cover it because they wanted Seeger to have it and it was his only hit single after many years of being blacklisted. At the request of the Limeliters she rewrote the WWII-era lyrics of Woody Guthrie's 'Sally, Don't You Grieve'. Seeger recorded five of her songs on God Bless The Grass '66, including the title song, 'The Faucets Are Dripping', 'Cement Octopus', 'From Way Up Here'. Her best-known song was 'What Have They Done To The Rain', recorded by Joan Baez and by the Seekers, who also covered 'Morningtown Ride'. 'It Isn't Nice' about demonstrations was rewritten by Barbara Dane and recorded by Judy Collins. Reynolds wrote for children's TV shows incl. Sesame Street; published her own collections incl. Cheerful Tunes For Lutes And Spoons, Tweedles And Foodles For Young Noodles; Oak published Little Boxes And Other Handmade Songs, The Muse Of Parker Street. LPs incl. Artichokes, Griddlecakes, Etc. and Funnybugs, Giggleworms, Etc. on Pacific Cascades; Malvina Reynolds Sings The Truth on Columbia; Another Country Heard From on Folkways; Malvina, Malvina Held Over, Mama Lion and Magical Songs on her own Cassandra Records.